Edmonton men are stepping up for Boys and Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters.

The organization wrapped up a successful 100 Men 100 Days campaign last week, which encouraged men to sign up to mentor boys and young adults. The campaign surpassed its goal for the first time since its inception three years ago, pulling in 114 new applicants.

“When we look at the kids who are on the waiting list, some of them have been waiting for up to three years. So this is going to make a big difference in these kids’ lives,” says BGCBBBS spokesperson Lana Tordoff.

Tordoff says the male mentor shortage is a worldwide phenomenon. Men can be discouraged to enter a mentorship role because they tend to not consider themselves role models, she says, and because they are more likely to volunteer for their own children’s activities (as a hockey coach, for example).

She says there is also a misconception that mentoring is excessively time consuming, even though being a mentor for BGCBBBS can take as little as four hours a month.

Despite the successful campaign, Tordoff says the need for male mentors continues to grow in Edmonton.

“Despite the fact that we will match 100 or more kids this summer, it doesn’t detract from the fact that there is a growing need for services and supports to children and youth in our community,” she says.

“We still have 450 boys currently on our waiting list, so we will continue to have that need, and to put that message out there that the need continues, and that there is really a role for men to play in the lives of kids.”